“Knock twenty years off my battle-scarred life
and you wouldn’t be safe a minute,” he
retorted. “But, no. This is a measure
of safety. Sir Willet thinks that your party
ought to be ready to move into the American Legation
on instant notice, if you can’t get away to
sea to-morrow.”

“What’s the use, if the legation has no
official existence?” asked Mr. Brewster.

“In a sense it has. It would probably be
respected by a mob. And, at the worst, it adjoins
the British Legation, which would be quite safe.
If it weren’t that Sir Willet’s boy has
typhoid, you’d be formally invited to go there.”

“It’s very good of you,” said Miss
Polly warmly. “But surely it would be an
awful nuisance to you.”

“On the contrary, you’d brace up my far-too-casual
old housekeeper and get the machinery running.
She constantly takes advantage of my bachelor ignorance.
If you say you’ll come, I’ll almost pray
for the outbreak.”

“Certainly we’ll come, at any time you
notify us,” said Mr. Brewster. “And
we’re very grateful. Shall you have room
for Mr. Carroll, too?”

“By all means. And I’ve notified
Mr. Cluff. You won’t mind his being there?
He’s a rough diamond, but a thoroughly decent
fellow.”

“Useful, too, in case of trouble, I should judge,”
said the magnate. “Then I’ll wait
for further word from you.”

“Yes. I’ve got my men out on watch.”

“Wouldn’t it be—­er—­advisable
for us to arm ourselves?”

“By no means! There’s just one course
to follow; keep the peace at any price, and give the
Hochwaldians not the slightest peg on which to hang
a charge that Americans have been responsible for
any trouble that might arise. May I ask you,”
he added significantly, “to make this clear
to Mr. Carroll?”

“Leave that to me,” said Miss Brewster,
with superb confidence.

“Content, indeed! You’ll find our
locality very pleasant, Miss Brewster. Three
of the other legations are on the same block, not
including the Hochwaldian, which is a quarter of a
mile down the hill. On our corner is a house
where several of the English railroad men live, and
across is the Club Amicitia, made up largely of the
jeunesse doree, who are mostly pro-American. So
you’ll be quite surrounded by friends, not to
say adherents.”

“Call on me to housekeep for you at any time,”
cried Polly gayly. “I’ll begin to
roll up my sleeves as soon as I get dressed to-morrow.”

IX

THE BLACK WARNING

That weird three-part drama in the plaza which had
so puzzled Miss Polly Brewster had developed in this
wise:—­